Though the Ancient Greeks are often given credit for inventing the theatre, the real credit belongs to the Ancient Egyptians. While they did not build performance spaces or create theatre festivals the way the Greeks did, they did perform public, ritualistic events, which included many characteristics of theatre.The world's earliest report of dramatic activity happened on the banks of the Nile. Records indicate that these performances included plot, props, costumes, and scripts. Details of these performances have been found carved into temple walls.
• EARLIEST RECORD OF PERFORMANCES – 4,000 YEARS AGO
Ikhernofret was a priest serving in the cult of Osiris at Abydos.
Triumph of Horus
The Abydos Passion Play
The Abydos Passion Play, an Egyptian drama written around 3200 BC, is usually considered the world's oldest known play. Although a few scholars discount this claim, saying it was a religious ceremony rather than a true drama, it seems clear that some type of dramatic performance did take place in Abydos as part of the worship of Osiris. Our knowledge of the play comes from a papyrus account written by Ikhernofret. It that was found at Luxor, the ancient Thebes. Professional actors apparently played the leading roles and pilgrims the minor parts.
The acting must have been quite as realistic, because later Greek historians tell us that many actor-warriors died of the wounds received in the "sham" battles between the enemies of Osiris and the forces led by his son, Ap-uat. The play closes with the resurrection of Osiris as a god and the foreshadowing to all the faithful of their own final resurrection.
The play concerns the death, burial, and resurrection of Osiris.At the start of the play he has married his sister, Isis, and is rulerof Egypt. His evil brother, Set, is jealous of Osiris's power andmurders him, scattering his limbs far and wide. Isis and their son,Horus, gather the pieces together and resurrect Osiris, who goes todwell in the afterworld to become the judge of souls. Horus fightsand defeats Set, and the drama ends with his coronation as king of Egypt.
Dramatic LiteratureEgyptian Theater
Egyptian Theatre
Though the Ancient Greeks are often given credit for inventing the theatre, the real credit belongs to the Ancient Egyptians. While they did not build performance spaces or create theatre festivals the way the Greeks did, they did perform public, ritualistic events, which included many characteristics of theatre.The world's earliest report of dramatic activity happened on the banks of the Nile. Records indicate that these performances included plot, props, costumes, and scripts. Details of these performances have been found carved into temple walls.
• EARLIEST RECORD OF PERFORMANCES – 4,000 YEARS AGO
Egyptian "Passion" Plays
Abydos Passion Play
Ikhernofret was a priest serving in the cult of Osiris at Abydos.
Triumph of Horus
The Abydos Passion Play
The Abydos Passion Play, an Egyptian drama written around 3200 BC, is usually considered the world's oldest known play. Although a few scholars discount this claim, saying it was a religious ceremony rather than a true drama, it seems clear that some type of dramatic performance did take place in Abydos as part of the worship of Osiris. Our knowledge of the play comes from a papyrus account written by Ikhernofret. It that was found at Luxor, the ancient Thebes. Professional actors apparently played the leading roles and pilgrims the minor parts.The acting must have been quite as realistic, because later Greek historians tell us that many actor-warriors died of the wounds received in the "sham" battles between the enemies of Osiris and the forces led by his son, Ap-uat. The play closes with the resurrection of Osiris as a god and the foreshadowing to all the faithful of their own final resurrection.
The play concerns the death, burial, and resurrection of Osiris.At the start of the play he has married his sister, Isis, and is rulerof Egypt. His evil brother, Set, is jealous of Osiris's power andmurders him, scattering his limbs far and wide. Isis and their son,Horus, gather the pieces together and resurrect Osiris, who goes todwell in the afterworld to become the judge of souls. Horus fightsand defeats Set, and the drama ends with his coronation as king of Egypt.
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